Winds exceeding 80mph will tear through the south of the country just as
Monday morning commuters are heading to work, forecasters say

Hurricane-force winds will hit just as the south of the country is heading to work on Monday, according to forecasters.

The winds, brought in by what is expected to be the most violent storm to hit the UK in years, will come at “the worst possible time” and commuters should delay their journeys if necessary, a spokeswoman for the Met Office said.

Gusts of up to 80mph will hit Cornwall and Devon from around 3am, moving across the country before arriving in East Anglia at 10am and continuing over the North Sea.

The worst of the storm will hit London and the Home Counties between 6 and 7am, just as many commuters are heading to work.

“When people are getting up in the morning it would be good advice to check the latest forecast, and if they need to delay their journey to do so,” said Helen Chivers of the Met Office.

She said the winds would hit at the “worst possible time” for many people travelling to work on Monday and confirmed the Met Office was now “confident” of its forecast for the storm.

On Friday forecasters had said there was still a chance the storm, which is now expected to affect all areas south of a line between mid-Wales and the Wash, could track to the south of the country and affect only the English Channel and north of France.

The storm will be preceded by heavy rains in the south west of the country from about 9pm on Sunday evening, Ms Chivers said.

And the rains will continue as the storm pushes across the UK, bringing up to 50mm of water to some areas over a six hour period.

Areas to the north of the storm’s path are likely to be the worst affected, with the Environment Agency issuing flood alerts for the South West, Wales and the Midlands, as well as the North West and North East.

The AA echoed the Met Office’s comments at the weekend, urging drivers who had to take to the roads on Monday to use extra caution.

Darron Burness, head of the organisation’s flood rescue team, said: "The timing couldn't really be worse, potentially causing significant travel disruption on Monday morning, which is one of the busiest times on the roads.

“Strong winds and torrential rain is an unpredictable and hazardous combination, which can be quite overwhelming when you’re driving.”

The Metropolitan Police advised people to dial 101 rather than 999 unless in an emergency, ahead of a predicted surge in calls to report damage from the storm.

“Calling 999 when it is not an emergency can reduce our effectiveness at dealing with genuine emergencies,” a Scotland Yard spokesman said.